Over 100 kg heroin worth Rs 500 crore seized in two months, says BSF

Admitting that there was spurt in the attempts to smuggle narcotics from across the border, Inspector General (IG) of Border Security Force (BSF), Punjab Frontier Ajay Tomar on Sunday said within last two months, border guarding force achieved success in seizing more than 100 kg heroin, worth Rs 500 crore in the international market.

"Recently BSF had made some static changes in guarding the Indo-Pak border, which yielded success in the form of seizure of more than 100 kg heroin, which include the big hauls of 25 kg and 17 kg packets,"Tomar told HT.

Citing reasons for spurt in the attempts of narcotic smuggling from Pakistan, the IG said, "Bumper production of heroin in Afghanistan, involvement of huge margin in the trade and backing of organised narcotics syndicate in Pakistan are the major reasons for it."

"The heroin, which is available in Afghanistan at the price of couple of lakhs per kg, sold at the Rs 5 crore per kg when reach in European countries in retail,"the IG said adding that as the economy of Afghanistan is already in bad shape, narcotic smuggling has attracted the youth for fast buck.

Tomar did not rule out involvement of Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, in the narcotic trade, as the situation is very handy for it to generate funds to promote terrorism.

BSF sources said during investigation in narcotics seizures, it was indicated that the ISI also gets its 'cut' from the narcotic syndicates.

On a query regarding any proof of the involvement of ISI in the narcotic trade, Tomar said, "Some names emerged during probe, but it is not possible for us to investigate it further until we get any evidence to substantiate it."

He added that strong and round-the-clock patrolling has frustrated the narcotic smugglers, which is gauged from the spurt in the attempts to smuggle contraband, in spite of seizure of their booty.As far as coordination with the state police in curbing drug-abuse menace is concerned, the IG said, "We keep sharing the outputs with Punjab Police."

"As large number of Punjabis are settled on foreign land, attempts are made to push further the smuggled narcotics to European countries and youth of the state got trapped in the trade due to involvement of easy and fast money,"the IG said.